Shinnyo Fellowship for Community Leadership

This ten-month Fellowship for Community Leadership serves as a capstone experience for four students who have participated in CSCE Leadership Programs or who have displayed significant community leadership throughout their time at Seattle University, and who are prepared for a more in-depth experience of learning skills for community leadership.

The Shinnyo-en Foundation’s Six Billion Paths to Peace initiative manifests a belief that every person has a unique role to play in contributing to a more peaceful and harmonious world. Similarly, Seattle University seeks to form graduates who, through their personal choices and professional work, contribute to creating a “just and humane world.”

Fellowship Goals

Responding to the Six Billion Paths to Peace initiative, the Fellowship for Community Leadership provides a capstone experience for students who have demonstrated a capacity for effective and compassionate community leadership. Through the Fellowship students will:

• develop their knowledge and skills for community leadership; 
• nurture an awareness of how their inner and outer paths contribute to a more just and peaceful world; 
• develop a deeper understanding of how their vocational calling or career path will contribute to the common good; and 
• consider their immediate post-graduation service path, and the elements of their own lifelong sustained commitment to service and peacebuilding.

Fellowship Components

This ten-month fellowship engages four students per year in an integrated experience of direct service, community leadership, reflection, and ongoing professional development. Fellows create individualized learning plans that integrate these elements with their coursework and activities.

Deep Exploration of a Social Justice Issue/Topic

Fellow will select a topic to explore in-depth over the course of the year. Through a directed cirriculum, fellows will work with the community organizations to understand different approaches to social change. This exploration will include examining the Fellows' topic through the lenses of direct service, advocacy, philanthropy, community organizing, and other modes of social change.

Service

Fellows offer direct service consistently with a non-profit organization of the Fellow’s choice for a minimum of 3-5 hours per week from September to June. Fellows are encouraged to choose an agency whose work resonates with their own intended career path or ‘vocational calling’.

Reflection

Fellows meet regularly with the CSCE Program Coordinator for Student Leadership through Service to reflect upon their service and leadership experiences. Together, they engage in discussion on directed readings.  Fellows participate in a weekend retreat sponsored by the Shinnyo-en Foundation, and attend a two day Summer Peace Institute with the Shinnyo-En Foundation in San Francisco, CA (August 7 – 12, 2012.) Beginning with the retreat, Fellows keep a ten-month reflection journal and conclude and integrate their experiences in May/June by writing a final synthesis reflection paper. 

Professional Development

Fellows attend a two day peace studies training institute and retreat hosted by the Shinnyo-en Foundation, as well as many other opportunities for professional development.  Fellows develop a professional development plan at the beginning of the school year and may include some of the following activities: serving on the board of directors, coursework, presenting at conferences, meditation or spritual practices, or meeting with a mentor. 

Evaluation

Fellows work with CSCE staff to assess the program in order to improve future work.

Sponsor

The Shinnyo Fellowship for Community Leadership is made possible by a generous grant from the Shinnyo-en Foundation. The Foundation’s mission is to “build more caring communities by supporting educational programs that engage and inspire young people in meaningful acts of service.”

Time Commitment

The bulk of the time committment is the 10 months (September – June) of the academic year. However, Fellows are also required to attend the Shinnyo-en Peace Institute (August 7-12, 2012). Fellows must commit five hours per week to the exploration of their topic through their Peace Project and meetings with the Program Director (paid hours). Fellow must commit 3-5 hours per week (unpaid) to serve at a community organization.  

Compensation

Fellows will receive approximately $1,500 in compensation. 

APPLY

To apply, please submit a cover letter and resume to Kelly Benkert at benkertk@seattleu.edu by Wednesday, April 11th at 5:00 pm. In your cover letter, please discuss a topic you may be interested in pursuing for the year. You are not committed to this topic or issue.